Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Betta fin types and color

12K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  keepsmiling 
#1 · (Edited)
BETTA FIN TYPES
Originally created by Christinaross (October 1, 2009)
Edited by the TFK team


SHORT FINNED BETTAS:


Plakat(PK)
Plakat is a name used for short finned bettas. They originally had round tails with 2 rays. Nowadays they come in all fin types except veil tail - round tail, delta, halfmoon, crown tail, comb tail, etc.


Traditional round tail plakat with 2 rays.
Fish Fish Organism Tail Freshwater aquarium
Fish Organism Turquoise Fish Adaptation


Fish Fish Marine biology Organism Tilapia




HalfmoonPlakat(HMPK)
HMPK has a 180° caudal spread with 4 – 8 rays, forming a “D” shape
Fish Fish Organism Tail Tilapia
Fish Fish Goldfish Orange Organism

Fish Fish Organism Tilapia Tilapia




OverHalfmoon Plakat (OHMPK)
This is characterized by the caudal spread that reaches more than 180°
Fish Red Fish Organism Tail




Rose Tail Plakat
Excessive ray branching causes this type’s caudal to be “ruffled”
Organism Fish Marine biology Tail Fish




Double Tail Plakat (DTPK)
Double Tail (DT) is named after the two caudal lobes (what ever shape). They also have long dorsals
Fish Cobalt blue Blue Fish Turquoise
Blue Fish Cobalt blue Fish Electric blue




This is a cross between a DT and a CT
Organism Fish Adaptation Plant Marine biology




Crowntail Plakat(CTPK)
The name “crown” is derived from the elongated rays, giving it a spikey appearance of a crown. Ideally the web reduction should be 50% of fin’s total length. CTPK can be in the form of HM (180° spread), Delta (less than 180°), or round tail.
Fish Tail Organism Fish Marine biology
Fish Fish Pink Organism Tail







LONG FINNED BETTAS :


Veil Tail (VT)
This type of tail is long, with a long anal and dorsal fin also, and droops down from the caudal peduncle. When young the tail is rather oval but as it ages and the fins grows longer, it droops down.
Organism Liver Plant
Fish Organism Adaptation Fish Tail




Spade Tail
This type has an equal spread on either side of the fin, similar to a Round Tail, but with tail finishing in a point rather than a rounded edge.
Fish Red Fin Fish Goldfish




Round Tail
This is another traditional version of the long finned betta. The fin shape is round, rather than the straight edges of a Delta, but fuller and longer than that of a Plakat.
Fish Fish Organism Marine biology Tail




Delta (DeT)
These are the beginners of the Halfmoons, very similar to HM's but have less than a 180 spread when flared
Fish Fish Organism Tail Fin
Fish Fish Organism Tail Bass




Super Delta (SDeT)
These are the next step to achieving HM - nearly HM but not quite (about 160° +), Deltas are far less than an HM.
Fish Blue Turquoise Fish Tail
Fish Fish Organism Marine biology Tail




Halfmoon (HM)
It is characterized by having 4-8 rays and the full 180 degree spread when flared, forming a "D" shape with straight edging. Dorsal and anal fins are also dramatically larger than those on other fin types.
Fish Tail Fish Organism Goldfish
Fish Fish Carp Tail Koi




Over Halfmoon (OHM)
This is the extreme end of the Halfmoon where the spread when flared is over 180 degrees.
Red Pink Tail Organism Bird




Rose Tail
A Rosetail is an extreme Halfmoon with excessive branching of the rays where the rays over lap itself, giving the tail a flower effect.

Fish Tail Organism Fish
Blue Turquoise Feather Tail Cobalt blue

Fish Fish Pink Organism Tail




Feather (FT)
"Although it is an extension of the rosetail effect, the feather tail has much more than a ruffled appearance, the excessive branching occurs at the top and bottom of the rays which gives it the look of feathers, with a kind of zigzag effect edge" -ibbledibble
Pink Fish Tail Fish Organism




Double Tail (DT)
The main characteristic of DT is the 2 caudal lobes and the extra long dorsal. DT comes in all forms, from the traditional veil tail, halfmoon, to the crown tail. It is a genetic trait that can be crossed to any fin type to make a DT version of that type.
Fish Fish Pink Tail Bony-fish
Fish Fish Organism Tilapia Tilapia




Double Tail Veil Tail (DTVT)
This is a cross between a double tail and a veil tail.
Fish Fish Tail Goldfish Organism
Cobalt blue Blue Purple Violet Electric blue




Double Tail Halfmoon (DTHM)
Blue Turquoise Teal Tail Turquoise




Crown (CT)
Like the PK version, this long finned CT also have elongated fins.
Fish Fish Tail Organism Seafood
Fish Fish Red Tail Pink




Halfsun (HS)
It has the spread of a Halfmoon with the slight crowning of a Crowntail. The halfsuns have the tips of the rays protruding beyond the web, but not enough to be a crowntail or combtail.
Red Organism Tail Plant




Comb Tail
Are by products of CT - Other type crosses. It is not the typical CT but it has slight web reduction on all fins.
Pink Fish Tail Organism Fish
Fish Fish Organism Tail Marine biology



DT Comb Tail
A by product of CT – DT cross
Blue Cobalt blue Purple Feather Electric blue




Elephant Ear / Dumbo Ear / Big Ear
A relatively new strain that has extra large pectoral fins.



 

Attachments

See less See more
41
#2 · (Edited)
COLOUR AND PATTERN

Naming betta colours could sometimes be triccky because they are grouped by their basic color or colour line rather than their physical appearance. This becomes more confusing when breeders give random commercial names to their colour lines.

Most bettas are not one colour (solid). Colour genes easily combine, giving them more than one colour (multi). Most often a betta exhibits 2 colours (multi bi-colour). Some patterned bi-colour have names, but random combos are usually named according to their basic colour (blue multi, red multi, etc). There are also those that carry 3-4 colours (multi) and are often named “Fancy” in general (most colour combo group have individual names).

Solid colours/patterns:
The entire fish except the head is one colour with no variations.
Blue Turquoise Teal Turquoise Aqua


Mask:
This is when the whole fish, including the head is the same color and is often expressed as “full mask”
Blue Fish Fish Turquoise Electric blue


Bi/multi colour patterns:
Blue Cobalt blue Feather Purple Electric blue

Red Organism Painting Tail Fish



Wild type colours: are actually a combo that exhibits all the colour layers. The body is a mixture of black and iridescence while the fins are a mixture of red and iridescence.
Fish Blue Fish Cobalt blue Electric blue




IRRIDESENCE colour layer
Included in this colour layer are turquoise (and green), steel blue, and royal blue. They can be solid –one color but most have a certain amount of red on them. The blackish head color is not considered to be a color because all colours show this trait.

All irridesent colours combine in similar combination to other colours. Below are some examples;

Turquoise
This is a blueish green colour.
Blue Red Turquoise Fur Organism



Green Betta
This colour exist though it is now quit rare. The “green” version is commonly turquoise – not a true green colour.
Green Blue Turquoise Teal Wool



Steel Blue
This is mostly a duller and lighter blue – or a grayish blue. But there are vibrant steel blue. And some actually reflect metallic shimmer of steel.
Fish Fish Organism Tail



Royal Blue
This is a vibrant and deep navy blue color.
Red Tail Organism Fur



BLACK LAYER (BLACK, CAMBODIAN, and BLOND)
The black layer or the second layer consist of 2 main colours; black and Cambodian. It is also where the blond genes (eliminates black pigments) are found.


Black Melano
is said to be the true black. The black pigments cover the whole body. Unfortunately most melano females are infertile. To obtain a black melano, breeders often breed them to blue. Therefore most black melanos will show a blue sheen on their bodies
Blue Black Turquoise Turquoise Organism



Black Orchid
This is a bi-colour of black and iridescence. They often show butterfly patterns on their fins.
Organism Eye Eyelash Fish Tail



Black Lace
Refers to the Black orchid color but has a dull or fading black on the edges of the fins.
Blue Organism Turquoise Fish Electric blue



Black Copper
As the name suggests, is a combination of copper and black, giving it a very dark/blackish shade of copper.
Organism Feather

Fish Fish Carp Tilapia Organism



Super Black
This is a result of making the betta as dark black as possible with no iridescence but with fertile females. Though some, more leaning to an orchid is labeled super black, there should be no iridescence on the betta..
Organism Black hair




Cambodian
Bettas of this colour shows a fleshy body with red fins. This colour or colour line is quite common since it is widely used as crosses to create other colours. Consequently there are so many variants to this line.
Red Tail Organism Fish Fish



Cambodian x iridescence
Fish Red Fish Feeder fish Tail

Tail Organism Fish Electric blue Fish



Grizzled
Blue Feather Organism Tail Plant



Pastel
This is one of the outcomes of Cambodian x iridescence crosses. It is when the iridescence layer gives the betta a powdery look. From certain light angles, the iridescence looks shiny.
Fish Organism Marine biology Fish Tail



Cellophane
This is almost colourles – fleshy body and clear fins.
Organism



White Opaque
A milk white colour.
Feather Organism Fish Fishing lure Bait



Originally created by Christinaross (October 1, 2009)
Edited by the TFK Team
 

Attachments

#3 · (Edited)
RED LAYER
The traditional red is a rather dark red (cherry red). This is caused by black pigments which is more obvious when the betta is in a stressed/docile state. But when it colours up, black pigments are not always visible.
Fish Fish Fin Organism Parrotfish
Red Bird Organism Tail Fin


Cherry Red Multi
While iridescent multi colors have more iridescence on the body, a multi red is more dark brownish with a layer of iridescence.
Fish Red Fish Organism Tail



Extended Red
This is a bright, lighter red. Red pigments are distributed all over the betta. This bright red feature is also associated with the blond genes which eliminates black pigments, making it look lighter and brighter

Red Feather Fur Tail Organism




Non Red Colors
This is a genetic trait which replaces red pigments with White (above), Yellow, and Orange.



Yellow
There are a few shades of yellow. From a dull fleshy yellow to a bright deep yellow.
Yellow Tail Organism Feather Plant




Yellow Pineapple
This type of yellow does not carry blond genes. Thus black pigments show on the edges of its scales.
Fish Fish Feeder fish Organism Tail


Chocolate
This is similar to the yellow pineapple but Is usually a duller shade of yellow with lots of black pigments on the body. Thus the yellow looks more brown than yellow.
Fish Tail Painting Goldfish Organism




Orange
Like the yellow, orange also comes in various shades. From a dull fleshy orange to a vibrant deep orange.
Fish Orange Organism Fish Goldfish



Orange Dalmation
Instead of an even spread like the above colours, dalmation shows spots of deaper colour.
Pink Orange Petal Plant Organism
Red Pink Orange Tail Fish




Variegated Fins (Butterfly)
This is more of a pattern than a colour. It is when the fins show 2 bands of colour. This pattern can occur in all colours.
Feather Blue Organism Wing Font



Marble (Jumping genes)
Marble genes causes colour change. Not the chanages shown between stress and aggressive bettas. But it changes into a different colour or pattern. Most often the sequence starts with an original colour pattern (whether dark or light coloured) then it changes to a pale, fleshy colour and eventually changes dark again. The changes may occur 3 times but commonly it only changes twice. The final outcome of colour and pattern is unpredictaable. They may return to their original colour and pattern, but they might also change into a different fish.

Marble cannot be shown with one picture because it won’t show the changes. This can only be shown by pictures showing the sequence of ccolour change.


Piebald – monster - apache
Monster is a commercial name commonly used for piebald (fleshy/white faced) bettas. As Victoria Parnell puts it;

“Monster: This terminology can be used to describe
a.) body size (as in the case of half-giants or full giants).
b.) finnage size, and
c.) a white face.
When used to describe body or finnage, the description usually will read "Monster Giant" or "Monster Fin"; whereas if the term is used independently it typically refers to a white face. A Monster betta is most often a piebald which is considered marble.”
(Bettysplenden – About Bettas – What do they mean)
Fish Fish Tail Organism Pomacentridae



Apache
The “Apache” strain was developed by Faith of Bettatalk;

“The ideal Apache male has a red/white BF pattern and a piebald face with bright red body and remain (to me) a DT. . . . . Apaches can be solid red, red BF without piebald, or even red with marbled fins (pretty!). I even got an orange apache once :), as this line, way back then, did come from an experimental outcross of orange back into red marble. Apache DTs usually have exquisite, large, even lobes and are beautiful. They also have great personality. Females are exceptionally nice, with great DT lobes (very wide), and very clean color. On occasion some males may be cambodians and not very red in the body. They get redder as they mature.”

Faith does not talk about a certain, definite strain. She refers to the apache as her line thus it would be safer not to call a betta an apache, regardless of how similar it is to her specificationn. Therefore I will not post pictures as it may be missleading.


Koi
Is a unique mutation which makes the betta resemble the pattern of a koi carp. This pattern was caused by marble genes but now is available without the marble gene.
Organism Adaptation



Fancy
This trem is loosely used to name any multi coloured betta, including the Koi. Usually this is used for colour combos that do not fit the Koi category but shows fancy colour combo.
Organism Marine biology Tail Electric blue Fish



Mustard Gas
This is a bi-colour that was originally bred by Jude Als which had a dull green body with variegated fins of green/blue, yellow, and black – giving it a gas like appearance. But now it is incorrectly used for any bi-color that has a iridescent (or iridescent back ground) dark body with yellow/orange fins. The name is wrongly used to refer to the yellow fins.
Blue Fish Tail Electric blue Fish
Fish Tail Organism Fish Freshwater aquarium



Salamander Was a name used by Marianne Lewis who created yellow bi-colours, similar to the Als’ Mustard Gas. Because Als objected to the use of his line name, Lewis then called it Salamander.

Today the salamander people refer to is usually an iridescent-red/yellow bi-colour with white butterfly pattern.
Red Fish Tail Pink Organism
Red Fish Tail Fish Organism
Blue Tail Fish Fish



Lavender
Is very similar to a salamander. But as the name suggest it should leans more to a violet – purple colour. It is genetically a blend between Cambodian, extended red, and iridescent colours. Since actual purple mutations are very rare, this colour may either show more red or more blue.
Organism Purple Pink Fish
Organism Tail Plant Fish Magenta
Fish Fish Organism Tail Marine biology
Fish Fish Organism Tail Marine biology
Organism Fish Adaptation Freshwater aquarium Fish
Fish Tail Fish Organism Fin



Metallic
Is a group of colours that glitters. Most metallic colours will reflect different colour spectrums with different light angles.


Copper
The first metallic colour developed was the copper. It is a shiny grey with a tint of red, giving it that copper appearence. There are many shades of copper from a lighter silver to a dark blackish shade. They may either reflect green, purple, steel, or gold from different light angles.Though individual breeders may name them differently (specially for commercial purposes) all of them are classified as coppers.
View attachment 147578

Metallic Iridescence
When copper is crossed to an iridescent colour, amongst the colours it may produce are metallic iridescent colours (turquoise, geen, and steel blue). Unfortunately we couldn’t find pictures that clearly show these colours.


Platinum
This is the white version of metallics. While white opaque is only milky white, this may reflect goldish spectrum from certain angle
View attachment 147586

Gold
View attachment 147594

Dragond scale
This is the most recent development in betta colour/pattern. It isn’t really a colour, but more of the scaling that appears thicker than regular scales. These bettas are desinged to have white/silver bodies with different coloured fins which names the colour. But this doesn’t apply to iridescent colours - they have the same colour on body and fins.

Red Dragon
This is suppose to have white bodies with clean red fins. But cross breedings to iridescent colours give them white/silver rays on their fins.
View attachment 147602



Yellow dragon
A light coloured body with clean yellow fins.
View attachment 147610


Orange dragon
A light coloured body with orange fins
Orange Goldfish Red Tail Fish


Green Dragon

Greenish thick scaled body with greenis fins.
Fish Fish Turquoise Organism Parrotfish


Steel blue Dragon
Fish Fish Tail
Turquoise Organism Adaptation Tail Fish


Blue dragon
Blue Cobalt blue Feather Electric blue Organism



Black Dragon Line
Organism Plant Wildlife Fur Tail


Fancy coloured dragons
Organism Marine biology Fish Electric blue Tail
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top